tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72340212893393138222017-08-17T04:02:20.228-07:00South Florida Sports ParadiseMiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.comBlogger149125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-84206397770936698782017-06-25T19:19:00.001-07:002017-06-25T19:19:48.362-07:00Lucious and Jordan Delegal: Father and Son Linked by Triumph, Tragedy and The Orange Bowl<h2><br /></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yO2kLYPi3Zw/WVBu0enT8pI/AAAAAAAAAnU/NmQoo3xUllcewfWTF2M-X0_z-JPJTqatQCLcBGAs/s1600/Jordan%2BDelegal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="760" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yO2kLYPi3Zw/WVBu0enT8pI/AAAAAAAAAnU/NmQoo3xUllcewfWTF2M-X0_z-JPJTqatQCLcBGAs/s320/Jordan%2BDelegal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h2></h2><b><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Former Northern Illinois linebacker Jordan Delegal holds the national championship ring belonging to his father former University of Miami cornerback Lucious Delegal.</span></span></b><br /><br /><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Jordan Delegal doesn't remember meeting his father. But he's heard the legendary stories. </span></span>Jordan was only 16 months old when his father Lucious Delegal died in 1989. But father and son share a unique history of tragedy and triumph with the Orange Bowl.<br /><br /> Lucious Delegal grew up on the tough streets of Miami’s Opa Locka neighborhood. He had a very troubled childhood and was constantly in and out of juvenile detention centers, committing crimes as serious as armed robbery. But with help from his probation officer Allen Gainer, he appeared to turn his life around. He enrolled at Miami’s Norland School and quickly became a standout athlete and a good student. He earned a scholarship to Bethune Cookman College in Daytona Beach.<br /><br /> But Delegal wanted more. He wanted to prove he could compete against the best players in the country. After his sophomore year, he left Bethune Cookman and returned to South Florida to transfer to the University of Miami and compete as a walk-on. Lucious not only made the team, he was a significant contributor for the Canes from 1983 to 1984. On January 2, 1984, he achieve the dream of every college football player—winning the national championship. He saw action during Miami’s 31-30 victory over Nebraska. The following year, Delegal started his final game against UCLA in the 1985 Fiesta Bowl and graduated with a degree. After his college football career ended, Delegal's #47 jersey was given to a young freshman receiver from Fort Lauderdale. His name was Michael Irvin. Delegal pursued a career in pro football, but was cut in training camp by the Tampa Buccaneers.<br /><br /> But just five years after his national championship glory, Lucious Delegal’s life went horribly wrong. He was involved in a stormy relationship with Regina Washington, plagued with domestic violence. Washington had given birth to Delegal’s son Jordan. But on September 27, 1989, Lucious Delegal shot and killed his girlfriend in a post office parking lot and then turned the gun on himself. Lucious Delegal was 28. Regina Washington was 24.<br /><br /> Jordan Delegal was too young to realize the tragedy that ended the lives of his parents. He was raised by his grandmother Jacqui Coyler in Miami Gardens. Coyler had adopted Jordan's father when he was a child. Coyler made sure young Jordan knew about Lucious. Jordan became a huge Miami Hurricanes fan and attended games at the Orange Bowl. His favorite player was Ed Reed. He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and play for the Hurricanes.<br /><br /> Jordan eventually became a star athlete at Chaminade-Madonna High School in nearby Hollywood. He helped the Lions win a state championship in 2005. But he was not highly recruited. He began his college career at Marshall, but was thrown off the team after an on-campus fight. After playing at Joliet Junior College in Illinois, young Jordan Delegal found his permanent home at Northern Illinois University. He helped the Huskies to a 12-1 record as a senior in 2012. Jordan Delegal played his final college football game in the 2013 Orange Bowl during a 31-10 loss to Florida State. Although the Huskies lost, sitting in the stands at Sun Life Stadium was his grandmother Jacqui Coyler, the same woman who was at the Orange Bowl when the Jordan’s father Lucious and the Canes captured the 1983 national championship.<br /><b><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> </span></span></b><br /><h2><b><br /></b></h2>MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-53377412887875874742012-07-16T16:55:00.000-07:002012-07-17T11:02:09.415-07:00A Look Back at the 1987 Fiesta Bowl: Who were the Bad Guys?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YF5XOiGyhb4/UASlqjTOvQI/AAAAAAAAAko/4SX0jZxNx1s/s1600/hurricanescamo.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YF5XOiGyhb4/UASlqjTOvQI/AAAAAAAAAko/4SX0jZxNx1s/s400/hurricanescamo.jpg" width="320" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9131K7AZsOk/UASlqya7ZZI/AAAAAAAAAk0/-_kbUE9zLkU/s1600/Joe%2BPaterno%2BSI%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9131K7AZsOk/UASlqya7ZZI/AAAAAAAAAk0/-_kbUE9zLkU/s400/Joe%2BPaterno%2BSI%2Bcover.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><b><br /></b><br /><b>Top: Miami players exit the plane wearing fatigues. Bottom Joe Paterno on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 1986 Sportsman of the Year issue.</b><br /><br />Good versus evil. It's not only a theme made popular in movies and books, it's also been used as a subplot for sporting events. In 1986 the Miami Hurricanes were the bad boys of college football. They were the flashy team that talked trash. They danced in the end zone. They beat their opponents down and ran up the score. Meanwhile Penn State represented everything that was perceived to be good about college football. They were led by an iconic coach Joe Paterno. They represented the old school philosophy of team-first football--no names on the jerseys and no logos or symbols on their plain white helmets. These two polar opposites would meet January 2, 1987 in Tempe, Arizona for the national championship. The media set the stage of good guys versus bad guys and America ate it up. What resulted was the most watched college football game of all time. But in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky pedophile scandal at Penn State and Paterno's cover up, who were really the bad guys of the 1987 Fiesta Bowl?<br /><br />&nbsp;The Fiesta Bowl matched two teams that couldn't be more different in style and etiquette. Miami was the small-private university in a big city. The Canes head coach Jimmy Johnson was an ultra confident slick-haired salesman who was a master of psychology. The majority of Miami players were poor inner-city African American kids from South Florida who played with a swaggering style. Penn State was the huge state university in Pennsylvania located in the small town of State College. The Nittany Lions were portrayed as clean cut young men who played slow and methodical power football with a blue collar work ethic--more spit than polish. It was the tortoise versus the hare.<br /><br />&nbsp;Miami was led by Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Vinny Testaverde. The Canes pro-styled offense dominated the opposition, including a convincing 28-16 victory over the previous year's national champion Oklahoma. In that game, Testaverde threw four touchdown passes, including two to future hall of famer Michael Irvin. The Canes defense was even more menacing led by defensive tackle Jerome Brown and safety Bennie Blades, both All Americans. The Miami roster was littered with not just NFL players--but with NFL stars. Penn State was made up of a solid group of college players, including running back D.J. Dozier and linebacker Shane Conlan. Both were All Americans. But if you're asked to name Penn State's starting quarterback that year, most people outside of hardcore Nittany Lion fans wouldn't know it was John Shaffer. The remainder of the Penn State roster remains as anonymous today and they were then.<br /><br />&nbsp;When the Miami players arrived in Tempe,they came dressed ready for war. Canes players exited their team plane wearing combat fatigues. Penn State's players wore suits and ties. The media's buildup for the game portrayed the Miami players as being rough thugs from the streets against Penn State's straight and narrow players. One of the leading media figures to paint the perception of good guys vs. bad guys was Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly. During the 1986 season, Reilly wrote a scathing article, ripping Jimmy Johnson and his players for their crude behavior. Reilly would later write an article lauding Joe Paterno as Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. Miami players threw more gas on the fire when defensive tackle Jerome Brown led a walk out of Miami players from a steak fry function hosted by the Fiesta Bowl. Brown and the Miami players were upset after Penn State's punter John Bruno and a group of Nitany Lion players performed a sketch perceived to be racist and insulting to Jimmy Johnson.<br /><br />&nbsp;The Hurricanes entered the game as 7 point favorites. They were cocky and confident as were most of their fans. But Penn State's coaching staff did a superb job preparing its team for the game. Paterno's defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky came up with the perfect blueprint on how to stop the Canes. His strategy was to confuse Vinny Testaverde by dropping eight players into coverage and clogging the passing lanes. It worked perfectly. Testaverde threw five interceptions and Miami turned the ball over 7 times. Despite outgaining the Nitany Lions 445 to 162 in total yardage including Alonzo Highsmith's 150 rushing yards, Miami couldn't overcome its mistakes and lost 14-10.<br /><br />&nbsp;The legacy of this game remains in flux. For years Paterno was hailed for his coaching genius. The game drew an amazing 24.9 share, still the highest television rating for a college football game. President Ronald Reagan was interviewed by NBC during halftime. But in light of what has happened at Penn State in recent years, were the Nitany Lions the "good guys" they were perceived to be? Maybe their players were clean. But the men who put them in position to win the game were as dirty and evil as you could find.<br /><br />&nbsp;When Jerry Sandusky was caught by graduate assistant Mike McQueary engaging in a sexual in the shower with a young boy in 1998, Sandusky was 54 years old at the time. Does anybody really believe Sandusky just became a pedophile at age 54? He joined Joe Paterno's staff in 1969 and became Penn State's defensive coordinator in 1977. He held that position all the way until 1999. It was claimed Sandusky retired in 1999 to focus on his Children's Charity called The Second Mile. Sandusky served 31 years on Paterno's staff. It's hard to believe Paterno didn't know about Sandusky's pedophilia until 1998. In 1995, then Miami head coach Dennis Erickson left to become the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Paterno actually showed some interest in interviewing for the Miami job. The interview never took place, however it was revealed Paterno had some interest. In the wake of the Freeh Report, it was clear Paterno had knowledge of Sandusky's indiscretions.<br /><br />&nbsp;More than 25 years have passed since the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. Rick Reilly recently wrote a piece for ESPN discussing Joe Paterno's true legacy. Reilly's first sentence was "What a fool I was," when looking back on his article about Paterno for Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year article in 1986. Don't feel bad Rick. You weren't the only one who was fooled.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-14390310681062494862011-06-19T19:07:00.001-07:002011-06-19T19:54:30.153-07:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Burdine Stadium<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oFcXj-kqxbk/Tf6rmvhhYkI/AAAAAAAAAkg/yq49QjkeOJs/s1600/Single%2BDecked%2BOB.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oFcXj-kqxbk/Tf6rmvhhYkI/AAAAAAAAAkg/yq49QjkeOJs/s400/Single%2BDecked%2BOB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620118067085402690" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Orange Bowl Stadium pictured in the early 1940s<br /></span><br />When the Orange Bowl Stadium opened in 1937, it was originally named Roddy Burdine Stadium. Burdine was one of the city's great economic figures of the early 20th century and was the head of the Burdine's department store chain. His father William Burdine founded Burdine's as a dry goods store in 1898. Roddy Burdine had been a big supporter of Miami's growing sports scene in the 1930s. He was one of the leading advocates to build a football stadium for the newly born Orange Bowl Committee headed by Ernie Seiler. <br /><br />Unfortunately, Burdine passed away in 1936, one year before the stadium was completed. As a tribute to Burdine, the City of Miami passed a resolution to name the facility after the late merchant. The stadium originally seated 23,330 costing just $340,000 in construction. Although the stadium was officially called Burdine Stadium, most fans and members of the media referred to it as simply the Orange Bowl. <br /><br />Over the next couple of decades, the stadium would expand in size. In 1948, Burdine Stadium added an upper deck. By 1959, the stadium's official name was changed to the Orange Bowl.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-70422953940367129642011-06-17T15:05:00.000-07:002011-06-17T16:06:45.697-07:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Pete Banaszak<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sHLCrpOJGZc/TfvP7QquQdI/AAAAAAAAAkY/4D1AwoL2PNs/s1600/Pete%2BBanaszak%2B1964.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 209px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sHLCrpOJGZc/TfvP7QquQdI/AAAAAAAAAkY/4D1AwoL2PNs/s400/Pete%2BBanaszak%2B1964.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619313577068216786" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">November 20, 1964: University of Miami fullback Pete Banaszak gains yardage during Miami's 35-17 homecoming victory over Vanderbilt.</span><br /><br />A native of Crivitz, Wisconsin, Pete Banaszak came to Miami after being recruited by former longtime Hurricane assistant coach and fellow Wisconsin native Walt Kichefski. A physical and bruising runner with good hands and blocking skills, Banaszak lettered at UM from 1963-65 and led the Canes in rushing as a sophomore and senior while teaming in the same backfield with fellow running back Russell Smith. <br /><br />Banaszak went on to a long and outstanding pro career with the Oakland Raiders from 1966 to 1978. He returned to the Orange Bowl several times as a member of the Raiders. Banaszak made his pro debut against the Miami Dolphins on September 2, 1966. It also happened to be the first game in Dolphins history. The Raiders would win 23-14. <br /><br />More than a year later, Banaszak was one of four former University of Miami players on the Raiders roster which won the AFL title and played the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II at the Orange Bowl. (Jim Otto, Bill Miller and Dan Conners were the other three former Canes on the 1967 Oakland roster) The Raiders were overmatched by the veteran Green Bay dynasty and lost 33-14. It would be the last game of Vince Lombardi's legendary coaching career with the Packers. <br /><br />The Raiders were the NFL's winningest team of the 1970s and were consistent Super Bowl contenders. But it took 9 long years for Banaszak to get back to football's biggest stage. Oakland lost 4 AFC championship games, including 1973 to the Dolphins at the Orange Bowl. But in 1976, Banaszak and the Raiders finally got their ring, beating the Vikings in Super Bowl XI. He scored a pair of touchdowns on short runs near the goal line in Oakland's 32-14 victory. <br /><br />Banaszak was extremely dependable at the goal line and short yardage situations. He led the NFL with 16 touchdowns in 1975. Banaszak finished his career with 3,772 yards rushing, 1,022 yards receiving and 52 total touchdowns in 173 games.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-33782047139564525942011-06-16T16:02:00.000-07:002011-06-16T16:19:44.502-07:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Miami High vs. Coral Gables 1966<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bugYmfcjl2s/TfqL-pdJUEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/ziaNcMkj0LE/s1600/Tom%2BBailey%2Bcatch%2Bvs%2BMHS%2B1966.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bugYmfcjl2s/TfqL-pdJUEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/ziaNcMkj0LE/s400/Tom%2BBailey%2Bcatch%2Bvs%2BMHS%2B1966.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618957393494364226" /></a><br />November 10, 1966: Coral Gables High School fullback Tom Bailey grabs a 37 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Craig Curry against Miami High. The Cavaliers beat the Stingarees 20-7, ending Miami High's 20 game win streak in front of 11,445 fans at the Orange Bowl.The victory was sweet revenge for Gables, which saw its 28 game win streak snapped by Miami High the previous season. Bailey would go on to play his college football at Florida State University and played four seasons (1971-74) with the Philadelphia Eagles. Bailey died in 2005. He was 56.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-30161740345747138232011-03-03T10:39:00.001-08:002011-03-03T11:16:32.401-08:00Orange Bowl Snapshot:: 1950 Homecoming<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QkIVcHs4nWU/TW_hFsJCUtI/AAAAAAAAAjg/hKuZtvjXQlc/s1600/UM%2Bhomecoming%2B1950.jpeg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 349px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QkIVcHs4nWU/TW_hFsJCUtI/AAAAAAAAAjg/hKuZtvjXQlc/s400/UM%2Bhomecoming%2B1950.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579925951199990482" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">November 24, 1950: Members of the University of Miami's homecoming court were among the 45,000 fans who watched the Canes beat Iowa 14-6.<br /></span><br />Over the years, I've collected many photographs of the Orange Bowl Stadium from surfing the net. This picture was taken during the University of Miami's homecoming football game against Iowa back in 1950. After doing a little research, this game was historically significant. Yet few people know about it. <br /><br />Miami in 1950, like much of the South, was a segregated city. There were strict Jim Crow laws that prohibited blacks and whites from gathering and participating at the same functions. But on November 24, 1950, something new happened for the first time in the Orange Bowl Stadium. White and black athletes would compete on the same field. <br /><br />The University of Iowa brought its football team to Miami to play the Hurricanes. At the time, Iowa had five African-American players on its roster. The University of Miami remained all-white. According to the University of Miami football media guide, UM had canceled games in the past against schools with black athletes. Games against Penn State and UCLA were specifically canceled in the 1940s. The UCLA cancellation was noteworthy because one of its African-American players happened to be Jackie Robinson--the same Jackie Robinson who later broke Major League Baseball's color barrier. <br /><br />But in 1950, the University of Miami finally began to relax its segregational policies. Black fans were allowed to watch games at the Orange Bowl. But they were designated to only certain areas of the stadium--including the east end zone. The Hurricanes would beat Iowa 14-6 that evening. But late in the fourth quarter, one of Iowa's black players, sophomore halfback Bernie Bennett, scored a touchdown for the Hawkeyes. He happened to score in the east end zone, where a jubilant group of black spectators erupted in cheers. <br /><br />"We were aware that we were setting a precedent," Bennett recalled. "But nothing happened during the game that reflected any conflict. There was no special security and there was no racist remarks. Once the game started, we just played." <br /><br />While the game was played without any negative incidents or taunting, the trip to Miami wasn't routine. Bennett and his fellow black teammates were forced to stay in a separate hotel in the black section of town. Miami still had a long way to go at the time. It would be another 17 years before receiver Ray Bellamy would become Miami's first black football player.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-72676586833903638642011-03-01T15:13:00.000-08:002011-03-01T15:19:59.332-08:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Howard Schnellenberger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j6EZbS9KqNs/TW1-BeQhveI/AAAAAAAAAjY/vsdobkVq_A0/s1600/Schnelly%2B84%2BOB.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j6EZbS9KqNs/TW1-BeQhveI/AAAAAAAAAjY/vsdobkVq_A0/s400/Schnelly%2B84%2BOB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579254077149265378" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">January 2, 1984: University of Miami head coach Howard Schnellenberger gives his team a pep talk in the locker room before taking the field against Nebraska. The Hurricanes were a two-touchdown underdog against the top ranked Huskers who averaged 52 points per game during the regular season. Miami would beat Nebraska 31-30 to win its first national championship. </span>MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-22388798101940949162011-02-26T11:05:00.000-08:002011-02-26T11:24:22.885-08:00South Florida Legend: Derrick Thomas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yV_frYJF80w/TWlPHlyULbI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/bFFh-4HirAU/s1600/Derrick%2BThomas%2BSouth%2BMiami%2BHS.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yV_frYJF80w/TWlPHlyULbI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/bFFh-4HirAU/s400/Derrick%2BThomas%2BSouth%2BMiami%2BHS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578076605295898034" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Hall of fame linebacker Derrick Thomas pictured as a senior at South Miami High School in 1984</span><br /><br />Derrick Thomas was one of the most fierce pass rushers to ever play the game of football. He terrorized NFL quarterbacks for 11 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989 to 1999. But it's hard to believe Thomas wasn't considered the best linebacker on his high school team. When college recruiters visited South Miami High School during the 1984-85 school year, Thomas was considered a talented and raw prospect. But his teammate Keith Carter was hailed by recruiting experts as a complete and finished product ready for college. Thomas went on to stardom as an All American linebacker at the University of Alabama before playing for the Chiefs. Carter would go on to a decent college career at Florida State, but never had near the success as Thomas.<br /><br />Born and raised in Miami's West Perrine section, Derrick Thomas didn't seem destined for greatness on the football field. He was more likely to end up in jail than the hall of fame. His father Robert Thomas was a B-52 fighter pilot in the Vietnam War, who was killed in action. Growing up without a dad, Thomas didn't have many positive male role models in his life. He hung out with a bad crowd and often got into trouble. He was arrested several times as a youngster. By age 14, he seemed like a lost cause. He was sentenced to juvenile hall. But it was there where he found his true calling. <br /><br />Judge William Gladstone recommended Thomas to be sent to the Dade Marine Institute (DMI), an alternative day school for troubled youngsters. It was at DMI Thomas met director Nick Millar, one of several mentors who helped Thomas get his life on track. Millar was a former college wrestler and recognized Thomas's athletic gifts. Thomas spent two years at DMI and was a model student. He channeled his energy towards his passion--athletics. His next goal was to play football for South Miami High School.<br /><br />Thomas enrolled at South Miami prior to his junior year of high school. Head football coach Sam Miller didn't know much about Thomas at the time. But it didn't take long to notice his startling speed and size. Thomas played running back at tight end his junior year and scored a few touchdowns. But Miller realized Thomas's aggresiveness and physical nature was better suited for the defensive side of the football. He played outside linebacker and rush end, quickly gaining attention from college recruiters. He earned second-team All Dade County honors from the Miami Herald and Miami News. But his teammate Keith Carter was considered the big-name star on the team. Carter was selected to every high school All American team in existence including Parade Magazine, Scholastic Coach Magazine and USA Today. The Miami Herald rated Carter as the second best player in Dade County for the Class of 1985, behind Michael Timpson of Hialeah Miami Lakes. <br /><br />But while Keith Carter was getting all the headlines and attention from recruiters, Thomas wasn't a complete unknown. He competed in football, wrestling, basketball and track at South Miami and was a standout in every sport. He actually gained more recognition as a wrestler--earning All Dade honors. The Miami Herald ranked him among Dade's 10 best senior prospects and several colleges were showing interest. In the end, he decided to attend the University of Alabama coached at that time by Ray Perkins. From the time he arrived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Thomas dominated and got better and better. He saw action as a true freshman. But once again, he found himself in the shadow of another linebacker teammate-- Cornelius Bennett. But when Bennett graduated in 1987, Thomas had the spotlight to himself for his final two years of college and never looked back. He became the most feared player in college football. Thomas was so quick off the ball, he literally was in the backfield once the ball was snapped. By his senior year he racked up an amazing 27 sacks and won the Butkus Award, given annually to college football's best linebacker. <br /><br />Thomas was the 4th overall selection in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1989 NFL Draft and he didn't disappoint. He was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1989 and went on to become a 9-time Pro Bowl selection. Off the field, Thomas also made his mark. He never forgot his troubled past or the people who helped him turn his life around. This time Thomas decided he wanted to help kids realize the importance of eduacation. He established the Third and Long Foundation, which helps children with their reading skills. Thomas had suffered from reading disabilities when he was a kid. In 1993, Thomas was honored by the NFL and was given the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award. <br /><br />On January 8, 2000, Derrick Thomas' SUV went off the road as he and two friends were driving to Kansas City Airport, where they were going to fly to St. Louis to watch the NFC Championship game. Not wearing seat belts, Thomas and one of his passengers was thrown from the car. The first passenger was killed instantly while the second passenger, who was wearing his seat belt, walked away from the scene uninjured. Thomas was left paralyzed from the chest down. Derrick was later flown back to Miami to be treated by renowned Neurological Surgeon Dr. Barth Green at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Despite receiving the best state-of-the-art paralysis care, Derrick succumbed to his injuries on February 8, 2000, after suffering a pulmonary embolism. Derrick Thomas was 33 years old.<br /><br />Derrick Thomas left behind a huge legacy. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. His son Derrick Jr. gave his inductment speech. Thomas' mother, Edith Morgan, established the Moms2Moms58 to honor his legacy. The foundation works with professional football players, non-profit organizations, community leaders, political figures and entertainers to educate the public on car seat and seatbelt safety, children's health and sports safety outreach to inner-city youth. Each year Moms2Moms58 hosts the "Celebration of Life Celebrity Weekend" in Derrick's hometown of Miami. On September 2, 2002, the Derrick Thomas Academy, a charter school, opened. It currently has an enrollment of 950 children from kindergarten to eighth grade.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-5525756872970824902011-02-23T10:55:00.000-08:002011-02-23T11:07:54.816-08:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: 1969 Orange Bowl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sp0vVNfgm34/TWVa35Mk8lI/AAAAAAAAAjI/QeW3Ij7h1wI/s1600/1969%2BOB%2BPSU%2BKU.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sp0vVNfgm34/TWVa35Mk8lI/AAAAAAAAAjI/QeW3Ij7h1wI/s400/1969%2BOB%2BPSU%2BKU.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576963629861106258" /></a><br /><br />January 1, 1969: A view of the Orange Bowl stadium taken from the northwest stands during Penn State's 15-14 victory over Kansas. Penn State won in dramatic fashion when halfback Bob Campbell scored on a 2-point conversion with only 15 seconds left in the game. Campbell's score was a mulligan. Penn State had been stopped on its first try for a 2-point conversion. However, Kansas was penalized for having 12 men on the field. Penn State finished the season undefeated and finished #2 behind Ohio State in the final AP Poll.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-6523107026671301872011-02-22T15:12:00.001-08:002011-02-22T15:18:46.299-08:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Baseball<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M59RwLPh1Og/TWRDB0uobWI/AAAAAAAAAi4/_DihRkioBZg/s1600/BaseballOB.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M59RwLPh1Og/TWRDB0uobWI/AAAAAAAAAi4/_DihRkioBZg/s400/BaseballOB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576655937204677986" /></a><br /><br />August 7, 1956: The Orange Bowl playing field was transformed into a baseball diamond and America's national pastime made its debut in the giant football stadium. A crowd of 51,713 watched the Miami Marlins beat the Columbus Jets 6-2 in a charity game that featured the pitching and hitting heroics of Satchel Paige. The game drew the largest crowd to watch a minor league baseball game at the time.<br /><br />The stadium was clearly not meant to host baseball. Changing the field into a baseball park was like fitting a square peg through a round hole. The field dimensions were horribly skewed. Home plate was located in the southeast corner of the field and the right field wall was barely 200 feet away. To compensate for the short right field, a giant fence was constructed. But none of that mattered to the fans who were hungry to see baseball. It was a festive night at the stadium. Proceeds went to charity and the pregame entertainment included a concert by jazz and blues legend Cab Calloway. Imagine 50,000 people singing "Heidi Heidi Heidi Ho!" in unison. But the real show was put on by 50-year-old former Negro League legend Satchel Paige. Paige pitched into the eighth inning and also drove in 3-runs with a double to left-center field, giving the Marlins a 6-2 win.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-47380768599558164092011-02-21T11:11:00.001-08:002011-02-21T11:15:22.703-08:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Joe Namath<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xTosT5cQOYc/TWK5I3KUEhI/AAAAAAAAAiw/ar4rS6su15E/s1600/Namath%2BSB3.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xTosT5cQOYc/TWK5I3KUEhI/AAAAAAAAAiw/ar4rS6su15E/s400/Namath%2BSB3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576222850535395858" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">January 12 1969: New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath walks off the Orange Bowl field triumphant following the Jets 16-7 upset victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III</span>MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-12821287956982532362011-02-20T12:01:00.000-08:002011-02-20T12:43:18.355-08:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: The Yamma Yamma Man<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zqalaMWlqmw/TWF0F_Vqw3I/AAAAAAAAAio/4Z9rody0hxQ/s1600/Sebastian%2BCheerleaders%2B1968.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 361px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zqalaMWlqmw/TWF0F_Vqw3I/AAAAAAAAAio/4Z9rody0hxQ/s400/Sebastian%2BCheerleaders%2B1968.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575865459911869298" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Jim Fleming, wearing the striped jacket, helps the cheerleaders fire up the Orange Bowl crowd in 1968. Fleming was more well known among Hurricane fans as "The Yamma Yamma Man"</span><br /><br />Jim Fleming was the college student who never grew up. He was a cheerleader for the University of Miami while he was a student from 1964 to 1968. He had a rough, loud and booming voice who could incite any crowd into pandamonium. But when he graduated from college, it seemed he never left. Fleming was so popular among Canes fans and UM students, he became an institution on the Orange Bowl sidelines and was brought back to help lead the cheers for close to four decades. But few people knew him by name. He was more well-known simply by his nickname "The Yamma Yamma Man".<br /><br />A native of Rochester, New York, Fleming was always short in stature. He attended an all-boys high school in Rochester, competing in track in cross country. But during football season he was a cheerleader. When he enrolled at the University of Miami, he immediately tried out for the squad and was an immediate sensation at Canes games at the Orange Bowl. He was instantly recognized for his unique cheers while screaming into the microphone.<br /><br />"I got the reputation of being kind of a smart alec--a Jimmy Cagney character," said Fleming in an interview with writer Jim Martz. "I was Mickey Rooney with a chip on his shoulder. When John Routh was the Ibis, we matched so beautifully. We were both irreverent. My irreverance got me in trouble a lot of times". <br /><br />During a game against Notre Dame in 1965, Fleming's cheers almost got him into a physical confrontation with Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian. At the time, the student section sat behind the opponents bench and would taunt the opposing players much like a basketball game. <br /><br />"We were obnoxious and it was a highly charged atmosphere," Fleming said. "We were doing a thing with the band screaming, 'Cheer up Ara, the worst is yet to come.' and saying 'Arrrra! Arrrra! By the third quarter, he'd had it. He came over to me and said something you can't print. He said, 'Listen you little SOB. Shut up!' He grabbed me by the throat a little. He was hot. His veins were popping. It shocked me. Somebody was trying to restrain Ara and cool him down. There were a number of cheers back then that would be banned today as people have become more politically correct."<br /><br />As a kid, I can remember Fleming working the sidelines with his microphone in the 1980s. Some of his popular cheers included, "We've got some Canes over here! Woosh Woosh!". When the referees made what was considered a bad call, Fleming and the drum section of the band would lead the students in the chant "Hey, your momma!" It was a cheer that was eventually banned. When the Canes played the University of Florida, Fleming would scream, "Alligator bags, alligator shoes. If you're a Florida Gator, you're born to lose."<br /><br />But Fleming didn't just scream into a microphone. In his younger days, he did all kinds of stunts and often paid the price. He dislocated both shoulders, ruptured an achilles, broke his clavicle and suffered a concussion. <br /><br />"At the USC game in 1966, I was doing a flip and landed the wrong way and dislocated my shoulder falling over a cheerleader," Fleming said. "The USC doctor put it back in place in their locker room at halftime.<br /><br />But Fleming's legacy at the University of Miami is more than just being a cheerleader. He was the president of the student body and founder of the campus radio station WVUM. But in March of 2006, Fleming died from a heart attack. He was 61 years old. Hurricane football games have never been the same since he left. I can safely say the Yamma Yamma Man was the ultimate University of Miami fan.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-81061936357928566752011-02-19T11:04:00.001-08:002011-02-19T11:12:31.252-08:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Wahoo McDaniel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YIcRzcuTCkg/TWAUb1_DetI/AAAAAAAAAig/IQGt3n9LZ8E/s1600/Wahoo%2BMcDaniel.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 315px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YIcRzcuTCkg/TWAUb1_DetI/AAAAAAAAAig/IQGt3n9LZ8E/s400/Wahoo%2BMcDaniel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575478807265245906" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">November 6, 1966: Miami Dolphin player Wahoo McDaniel attempts a punt against the Buffalo Bills in the Orange Bowl. McDaniel was one of the few players in pro football history to wear his first name or nickname on the back of his jersey</span><br /><br />Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel was one of pro wrestling's most colorful characters during the 1970s and 80s. A Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American, he would enter the ring in a traditional Indian headress complete with feathers. But before he gained fame as a wrestler, he was a journeyman profesional football player in the American Football League. He played nine seasons in the AFL with four different teams. Among his stops was Miami in 1966 , where he was a member of the first Miami Dolphins team. McDaniel was known as a wild character who loved to drink, party and raise a little hell. But one thing made him unique compared to other players. He was the only player who had his nickname or first name placed on the back of his jersey. Instead of reading "McDaniel", his jersey simply read "Wahoo". Many years later, WWE wrestling owner Vince McMahon Jr. would start a pro football league called the XFL. Many players had colorful names placed on their jerseys. The most memorable was Rod Smart whose jersey read "He Hate Me". <br /><br />The 1966 Miami Dolphins were a collection of castoffs, misfits and unqualified rookies and their league worst 3-11 record was a reflection of that lack of talent. But among this group of characters was linebacker/punter Wahoo McDaniel. He was selected by the Dolphins in the expansion draft after being left unprotected by the New York Jets. McDaniel was a solid player in New York and once made 23 tackles in one game against Denver in 1964. During the offseason he began his pro wrestling career while working for Vince McMahon Sr. McDaniel, along with former Houston Oiler player Dory Funk Jr. were among low salaried football players who dabbled in wrestling. McDaniel and Funk would become longtime rivals and later legends in the wrestling business. <br /><br />McDaniel got his nickname Wahoo from his father who was known as "Big Wahoo". Wahoo grew up in Midland, Texas and was an accomplished athlete. One of his high school baseball coaches was future President George H.W. Bush. McDaniel earned a football scholarship to the University of Oklahoma and played for legendary coach Bud Wilkinson. During his career at Oklahoma, he played in two Orange Bowl games with the Sooners on New Years Day of 1958 and 1959. Oklahoma won both times. <br /><br />Wahoo McDaniel played three seasons with the Dolphins from 1966-68. But after an altercation where he knocked out two police officers, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers. McDaniel would never play a down in San Diego and quit football to pursue wrestling full time. For the next 20 plus years, he became one of pro wrestling's most iconic figures. His glory years were wrestling in the Mid Atlantic area staging many memorable matches with his peers Ric Flair, Harley Race and the Funk Brothers. But his health quickly declined in the mid 90s and eventually lost both kidneys. He died on April 18, 2002 from complications due to diabetes and renal failure. Wahoo McDaniel was 63 years old.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-83035743895269254662011-02-18T09:52:00.001-08:002011-02-18T09:54:46.403-08:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Prince<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I3rEvHW6YwQ/TV6yBbgaBFI/AAAAAAAAAiY/FQmd4qTF1lc/s1600/Prince%2B4%2B7%2B85.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 186px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I3rEvHW6YwQ/TV6yBbgaBFI/AAAAAAAAAiY/FQmd4qTF1lc/s400/Prince%2B4%2B7%2B85.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575089126364546130" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">April 7, 1985: The artist known as Prince performs at the Orange Bowl during the final show of his Purple Rain tour</span><br /><br />During the spring of 1985, there wasn't a bigger music star in the world than the artist known as Prince. His landmark Purple Rain album had catapulted the eccentric musician to the top of the pop charts,eclipsing Michael Jackson. Not only was the album number one in sales at the time, he also starred in the movie "Purple Rain" which also did well at the box office. <br /><br />At the very height of his career, Prince brought his band The Revolution to the Orange Bowl on April 7, 1985 for the final concert of his Purple Rain tour. The Orange Bowl was transformed into the "Purple Bowl". More than 55,000 people attended and they didn't leave disappointed. The opening act was percusionist/singer Sheila E., who was a Prince protoge and had a popular song on the pop charts "The Glamorous Life". Prince performed 22 songs that evening, including every song from the Purple Rain album. He closed his show appropriately with the album's title track. <br /><br />The tour sold 1.7 million tickets according to Spin Magazine. It also marked the touring debut of his band The Revolution. The Orange Bowl performance would be Prince's only appearance at the legendary stadium. But it wouldn't be his last or most memorable South Florida concert. Nearly 22 years later, Prince performed at halftime of Super Bowl XLI at Dolphins Stadium (Now known as Sun Life Stadium).MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-62530874631815634762011-02-17T10:11:00.001-08:002011-02-17T10:59:22.346-08:00Orange Bowl Snapshot: Bennie Blades vs. Notre Dame 1985<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91vgmNXRqzg/TV1k8yluvVI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/CSV-72gQW68/s1600/Bennie%2BBlades%2BND%2B85.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 372px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91vgmNXRqzg/TV1k8yluvVI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/CSV-72gQW68/s400/Bennie%2BBlades%2BND%2B85.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574722909289495890" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">November 30, 1985: Miami safety Bennie Blades returns an interception 61 yards for a touchdown against Notre Dame. Miami won 58-7 </span><br /><br /><br />During the 1980s, the University of Miami Hurricanes were the bad boys of college football. But where did that reputation begin? If I had to pick one moment in a specific game, it would be Bennie Blades's pick six against Notre Dame in 1985.<br /><br />At the time Blades was a young sophomore who was just beginning to make a name for himself as a college player. Notre Dame's program may have been at its lowest point. Gerry Faust was coaching his final game and the Irish entered with a 5-5 record. Late in the second quarter, Miami led 13-0 and was in control of the game. Notre Dame quarterback Steve Beuerlein fired a pass intended for running back Allen Pinkett. Blades cut in front of Pinkett, intercepted the pass and then used his sprinter's speed to easily cruise 61 yards to the end zone. As Blades returned the interception he slowed down and high-fived teammate Selwyn Brown before crossing the goal line. <br /><br />By today's standards, that's not much of a big deal. Players celebrate all the time and this one was tame. But looking back, that play was the first sign of Miami "swagger" that I can remember witnessing. It also opened the floodgates as the Canes rolled to a 58-7 victory. CBS broadcasters Brent Musburger and former Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian would voice their outrage over the lopsided score and accused Miami coach Jimmy Johnson of running it up. <br /><br />Before that game, Miami didn't have much of a reputation other than upsetting Nebraska in the 1984 Orange Bowl and losing to Boston College on the famed "Hail Flutie" play. But this game forever changed Miami's image. Many like to look back at the Canes antics prior to the 1987 Fiesta Bowl against Penn State. But the 1985 Notre Dame game was when Miami became the villains of college football.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-88623602510580500722011-02-15T13:44:00.000-08:002011-02-16T06:13:37.110-08:00South Florida Legend: George Smith<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PlgG94SF41A/TVr0ECVf9_I/AAAAAAAAAiI/zwMJFKb4nAw/s1600/George%2BSmith.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 382px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PlgG94SF41A/TVr0ECVf9_I/AAAAAAAAAiI/zwMJFKb4nAw/s400/George%2BSmith.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574035839008110578" /></a><br /><br /><br />The scowl. If you've ever seen or met St Thomas Aquinas High School football coach George Smith, you've experienced it. His facial expression rarely changes. Unless you really know Smith well, it's hard to tell whether he's happy or angry. He can be intimidating, sarcastic and sometimes even funny. The players change. But his face and his teams ability to win games rarely waivers. Smith is the epitome of consistency. His Aquinas Raiders have won 6 state championships, 7 runner-up finishes and 2 mythical national titles. But after 34 years of coaching and 361 career victories, we will no longer see Smith pace the sidelines in his trademark coach's shorts and scowl. He will step down as Aquinas head football coach, but will remain as the school's athletic director. Defensive coordinator Rocco Casullo will be Smith's replacement. It will be hard to imagine South Florida high school football without him.<br /><br />George Smith never thought he'd be a coaching legend. In fact he never thought he'd be a head football coach. A native of Lafayette, Indiana and graduate of Purdue University, Smith moved to Fort Lauderdale and was originally hired by St. Thomas Aquinas to start the school's wrestling program in 1972. He spent 7 years coaching wrestling while also serving as an assistant football coach under then head coach Dave Franks. In 1975, Smith replaced Franks as head football coach and Broward County football would never be the same. <br /><br />When Smith arrived at St. Thomas Aquinas, the school's athletic program was mostly known for Chris Evert's tennis exploits and the football team had yet to establish itself as a local power. Brian Piccolo, who graduated in 1961 back when the school as known as Central Catholic High School, was the most famous football alumnus at the time. Aquinas wasn't even considered the best Catholic school football program in Broward County, lagging behind rivals Cardinal Gibbons and Chaminade. That would change.<br /><br />By the late 1970s St. Thomas Aquinas was starting to emerge as one of the best football programs in South Florida. Smith surrounded himself with quality assistants, many of whom have worked with him for decades or played for Smith. The success of Aquinas began to attract to players from all over Broward. These players included All American lineman Stefan Humphries and quarterback Mike Stanley, who later became a major league catcher for several years. By the early 1980s, Aquinas had eclipsed Hollywood Hills High School to become the predominant power of Broward County. Smith's 1981 Raiders, led by quarterback John Congemi, went undefeated during the regular season before losing to Suncoast High School of Riviera Beach in the state playoffs. It was the best finish in the history of the Aquinas program at that point. But the best was yet to come. Two years later, Aquinas went undefeated again. This time they were led by a big, cocky wide receiver named Michael Irvin. But again, Smith's quest for a state championship was dashed in the state playoffs by then Class 3A champion Titusville. <br /><br />For all of Smith's success, it's hard to believe it took him 16 years to reach his first state championship game. That first title game appearance didn't go well. In 1991 Aquinas was crushed 39-14 by a Fort Walton Beach team led by future UF Heisman winner Danny Wuerffel. But after 17 years of frustration, Smith's finally got his first state championship ring in 1992 when Aquinas beat Tallahassee Leon 24-9 in Gainesville. <br /><br />After finally winning it all, Smith called it quits after the 1992 season and remained as the school's athletic director. Mike Spencer took on the daunting task of replacing Smith. Spencer would quickly learn those big shoes were almost impossible to fill. Aquinas qualified for the state playoffs in 1993 and 1994, but were unable to maintain the program's dominance under Smith. Those two years being away from the sidelines were tough for Smith. He still had the competitive juices flowing and decided to return as head coach in 1995. From the that point on, Aquinas would be an almost regular participant in the 4A or 5A state championship games. <br /><br />From 1996 through 2010, Aquinas reached the state title game a remarkable 11 times in 15 years. Five of those teams would leave with the championship trophy. But some of his best teams never won a title. During a 3-year stretch from 2004-2006, Aquinas lost to Lakeland each year including a double overtime heartbreaker in 2006 at Dolphin Stadium (Now Sun Life Stadium). Smith's 2009 team may have been his best ever. Aquinas was ranked #1 in the nation at the time by USA Today. But the Raiders were upset by Bradenton Manatee in the Class 5A semifinals. Smith's career would not end with a loss. The 2010 team would rebound and defeat Tampa Plant in the 5A state finals, giving Smith his 6th and final state title. It would be his last game.. <br /><br />George Smith leaves an enormous legacy and void in local high school football and Broward County athletics. Not only was he a great football coach, he also developed the most successful complete athletic program in South Florida as the school's athletic director. St. Thomas Aquinas has won or challenged for state titles in just about every varsity sport. The school's athletic program has won the Miami Herald's Broward County All Sports Award every year for over 20 years running. <br /><br />He has a huge amount of admirers and critics. Many claim Aquinas has an unfair advantage over most of its competition.. Good or bad, St. Thomas Aquinas is a private school that has the ability to draw students throughout South Florida. In a few cases, there have been athletes who've moved to South Florida from out of state or from other parts of Florida just to be a part of Smith's program. One notable example was when former Miami Southwest High defensive back Lamarcus Joyner transferred to play for Aquinas during his senior year. While I can't prove St. Thomas Aquinas recruits athletes from other schools, there's no doubt talented kids want to be a part of that program. Under Smith, hundreds of his former players have gone on to college and have become successful in various fields. During his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Michael Irvin went out of his way to mention Smith in his speech and the impact he had on Irvin's life as a coach and mentor. No matter what your opinion may be of George Smith, there is no doubt there will never be another one like him.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">George Smith by the numbers:</span><br /><br />Career Record: 361-66<br /><br />State Championships: 1992, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2010<br /><br />National Championships: 2008, 2010<br /><br />Undefeated Regular Seasons: 1981, 1983, 1986, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2010<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Notable Former Players:<br /></span><br />Tony Brown - Class of 00<br />Wes Byrum - Class of 07<br />Greg Cox - Class of 84<br />Duron Carter - Class of 09<br />John Congemi - Class of 82<br />Tavares Gooden - Class of 03<br />Leonard Hankerson - Class of 07<br />Stefan Humphries - Class of 84<br />Michael Irvin - Class of 84<br />Lamarcus Joyner - Class of <br />Sterling Palmer - Class of 89<br />Daryl Porter - Class of 93<br />Twan Russell - Class of 92<br />Nate Salley - Class of 02<br />Tony Sands - Class of 88<br />Terry Smith - Class of 93<br />Mike Stanley - Class of 81<br />Slip Watkins - Class of 86<br />James White - Class of 10<br />Major Wright - Class of 07<br />Sam Young - Class of 06MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-82584417418606995502009-09-02T11:15:00.001-07:002009-09-02T13:37:41.569-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Jim O'Brien<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/Sp63CBFAVYI/AAAAAAAAAho/_2D5B81eIF4/s1600-h/O%27Brien,Jim4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/Sp63CBFAVYI/AAAAAAAAAho/_2D5B81eIF4/s400/O%27Brien,Jim4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376936250404001154" /></a><br />Jim O'Brien might be the most unlikely Super Bowl hero who ever played. In 1970, the long-haired rookie kicker for the Baltimore Colts was just hoping to play in the NFL. He was a 3rd round draft pick from the University of Cincinnati and most football fans outside of Baltimore had never heard of him. But on January 17, 1971 in the Orange Bowl, O'Brien forever etched his name in Super Bowl history. He would kick a field goal in the final seconds to win Super Bowl V. <br /><br />The 1970 football season was the first following the NFL-AFL merger. The first four Super Bowls matched up the champions from the NFL and the AFL. Both the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Colts were established NFL powers. The Colts were among three NFL franchises that joined the new American Football Conference that was primarily made up of teams from the old AFL. The Cowboys were the champions of the National Football Conference. Super Bowl V established several firsts in the history of the big game. It was the first Super Bowl played on artificial turf. It was also the first Super Bowl in which the MVP (Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley) was a defensive player and also played for the losing team. <br /><br />Super Bowl V featured some of football's greatest players including hall of famers Johnny Unitas, John Mackey, Ted Hendricks, Mike Ditka, Bob Lilly and Bob Hayes. But it was also one of the most poorly played Super Bowls of all time. The game was often referred to as "The Blunder Bowl" or "Stupor Bowl" Both teams combined for a record 11 turnovers, including 7 by the Colts who were the winning team. Dallas committed a Super Bowl record 10 penalties for 133 yards. But the most enduring image of the game was Jim O'Brien's 32-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining in the game to give the Colts a 16-13 victory. <br /><br />In a game that was filled with turnovers and mistakes, it was only fitting O'Brien's game winning field goal was set up by a Dallas interception. With less than a minute remaining in the game and the score tied 13-13, Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton threw a pass intended for running back Dan Reeves. The pass was high and bounced off Reeves's fingertips and fell into the arms of Colts linebacker Mike Curtis who returned the ball to the Dallas 32 yard line. <br /><br />With only five seconds left on the clock, all eyes turned to Colts kicker Jim O'Brien. The rookie was under incredible pressure. O'Brien was an old-school straight-on style kicker, as opposed to today's kickers who all kick soccer-styled from the side of their foot. O'Brien was also one of the last of his era, who wasn't just a kicking specialist. He was also a wide receiver and wore #80. But if he was nervous, he never let anyone know he was scared.<br /><br />"I always pretended that every field goal was the last second of a championship game," O'Brien said. "I wasn't the greatest kicker and I never pretended to be. I never told anybody I was. Whenever we needed a kick, I made it. I never missed a kick that would have won a game." <br /><br />Colts quarterback Earl Morrall took the snap, placed the ball perfectly and O'Brien drilled the ball through the uprights of the Orange Bowl's east end zone. The Colts won their only Super Bowl as the Baltimore Colts. <br /><br />"I knew that it was going to be good," O'Brien said. "It probably could have gone 55 yards. It was the best kick of my life and I was very fortunate to be in that spot and to be successful."<br /><br />Jim O'Brien played only four seasons in the NFL. He was a decent to average kicker at best and also caught 14 passes as a backup receiver including 2 touchdowns in his career. He is not the only kicker to have the opportunity to win a Super Bowl. Twenty years after O'Brien's game winning field goal, Buffalo's Scott Norwood tried to duplicate O'Brien's heroics in Super Bowl XXV. But Norwood's 47-yard attempt fell wide right. O'Brien's distinction for being the only player to kick the game winning field goal in the Super Bowl finally ended when New England's Adam Vinatieri made the winning kick to beat the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. Vinatieri did it again two years later to beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVII.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-28880970791662338172009-09-01T10:33:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:41:49.270-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Mercury Morris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/Sp1cr7TMyBI/AAAAAAAAAhg/oJwVgXPrbuo/s1600-h/Mercury+Morris+SI.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/Sp1cr7TMyBI/AAAAAAAAAhg/oJwVgXPrbuo/s400/Mercury+Morris+SI.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376555439872591890" /></a><br /><br />Former Miami Dolphins running back Eugene Morris was so quick on his feet, it was only appopriate he was nicknamed after the Greek god of speed--Mercury. When he scored, he didn't just settle for one yard runs or dives over the goal line. Morris preferred to cruise 40, 50, 60 and sometimes 70 yards past defensive players and leaving them in the dust. He ran fast on the field and he lived just as fast off it. Soon his life spun completely out of control and crashed with cocaine addiction. But just as he overcame the label of a "bust" after he was drafted, he beat his drug habits as well.<br /><br />Eugene Morris was born and raised in Pittsburgh. He was always athletic, talkative and cocky. He was a standout high school basketball and football star at Avonworth High School. Academically he was a bit of an underachiever. He was intelligent, but didn't necessary apply himself in the classroom. His grades were average, but his athletic ability certainly wasn't. After graduation he took his talents to West Texas State University, now known as West Texas A&M University. <br /><br />Morris first made a name for himself by putting up huge numbers at the small Texas college. He and USC's O.J. Simpson were the most prolific college runners of the day. During his junior year in 1967, Morris rushed for 1,274 yards and finished second in the nation behind Simpson. In 1968, Morris set college records with 340 yards rushing in one game, 1,571 in one season and 3,388 yards for his career. Unfortunatley for Morris, Simpson broke Morris's single-season rushing record. Simpson also had the advantage of playing for national power USC and easily won the Heisman Trophy. Morris was a small college phenom whose name was on top of the NCAA rushing statistics but was an unknown to most college football fans. But he was no secret to pro scouts. <br /><br />During his career at West Texas State, Morris earned the nickname "Mercury" for his blazing speed and great breakaway runs. When his college career ended, he was invited to play in the North vs. South Shrine Game at the Orange Bowl. The North vs. South Shrine Game featured many of the top college seniors in the nation. For the first time, Morris got the opportunity to play and prove himself against athletes from bigger schools. But Morris struggled in his few carries and lost a fumble. He was still highly regarded by the pro scouts. But his draft stock slipped and he was picked in the 3rd round by the Miami Dolphins in 1969 NFL/AFL common draft. <br /><br />When Morris arrived in Miami in 1969, the Dolphins were a struggling 3-year-old AFL franchise. George Wilson was in his final year as the team's head coach and there was a culture of losing. But while the Dolphins weren't winning many games, they were stockpiling a growing group of young, talented players. These young prospects included quarterback Bob Griese, running backs Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick, receiver Howard Twilley, defensive linemen Bill Stanfill and Manny Fernandez and defensive back Dick Anderson. This young core of players would later realize their potential under their next head coach Don Shula. <br /><br />From the time Shula was hired by owner Joe Robbie to replace Wilson, the Miami Dolphins became South Florida's flagship franchise. They were the only pro team in town and they would no longer take a back seat to the University of Miami or local high school football. Miami became a Dolphins town. During Shula's first season as Dolphins head coach in 1970, Miami finished 10-4 and made the playoffs. Shula had brought a team-first mentality and discipline to a group of players who were talented but needed the right leadership. Most of the players bought into Shula's philosophy. But Mercury Morris wasn't one of them. <br /><br />Morris found himself playing very little and backed up Jim Kiick at tailback. He was used to being the star of every team he played for and his ego demanded the same treatment with the Dolphins. But he needed an attitude adjustment. The Dolphins were emerging as one of the best teams in football and Morris felt left out. In 1970, he only carried the ball only 60 times the entire season, while the team clinched its first playoff appearance in franchise history. In 1971, Morris carried only 57 times and it appeared he was a huge draft bust. The Dolphins made it to Super Bowl VI, losing to the Dallas Cowboys 24-3. Miami was led by its punishing backfield of Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. While Csonka and Kiick were the most productive tandem of running backs in the NFL at the time, Super Bowl VI exposed a weakness amongst Miami's biggest strength. The team lacked a home run threat in the backfield. Csonka was power runner who gashed through defenses, often running over and trampling tacklers. Kiick was known for his versatility as both a runner and receiver and was money on goal line and short yardage situations. But neither Kiick nor Csonka had the speed to break big runs. The loss in Super Bowl VI opened the door for Morris. Mercury Morris never touched the ball from scimmage in the game and he vented his frustration.<br /><br />"A reporter came up to me after the game and said, 'Hey Mercury, is there something wrong?'" Morris said. "I said yes, something's wrong. I didn't play in this game. The only time I was off the bench, except for the kickoffs, was for the national anthem."<br /><br />Shula was concerned with Morris's attitude and discipline. But he never questioned his talent. In 1971, Morris averaged 5.8 yards per carry, the best on the team. Shula decided to increase Morris's role on the team for the 1972 season. He began rotating Morris and Kiick at the tailback position. Morris played so well, it became almost impossible for Shula to take him out. Soon, Morris had replaced Kiick as the leading tailback. The move could have completely destroyed team chemistry. Kiick and Csonka were the best of friends and were often inseparable. They were nicknamed "Butch and Sundance" and once did a promotional poster wearing cowboy outfits and riding horses. But both understood the promotion of Morris to starting tailback made the team better. <br /><br />Morris made an immediate impact once he was inserted into the starting lineup. He rushed for exactly 1,000 yards, scored 12 touchdowns and averaged 5.3 yards per carry. His galloping running style was perfect for the Orange Bowl's artificial turf. He often made violent cuts, faking out defenders and then darting past them. When he reached the end zone, he would often end his touchdown runs with a thunderous spike of the football. Morris and Larry Csonka became the first pair of running backs from the same team to rush for at least 1,000 yards in the same season. The Dolphins went from a good team to a great team--perhaps the greatest of all time. Miami finished the season undefeated and went on to beat the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII. Morris was selected to the Pro Bowl and once again, found himself compared with Buffalo's O.J. Simpson as football's fastest running backs. <br /><br />In 1973, Morris continued to make big plays from the backfield. He carried the ball 41 fewer times than in 1972, but he was more efficient. Morris rushed for 954 yards and averaged a remarkable 6.4 yards per carry, the best in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl again and Dolphins went 12-2 and went on to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII. It would be the last time the Miami Dolphins would rule pro football. It was also the last time, Morris would enjoy great individual success.<br /><br />Morris's career began to decline in 1974. Injuries were beginning to take a toll and he played only five games in the 1974 season. Csonka, Kiick and wide receiver Paul Warfield would leave the Dolphins for the World Football League and the Miami dynasty was over. Off the field, Morris's life began to spiral out of control. He began using drugs, particularly cocaine. His play also began to suffer. In 1975, he played his final season with the Dolphins, rushing for 875 yards, but his average per carry was a career-low 4.0. Morris finished his NFL career with the San Diego Chargers in 1976 and carried the ball just 50 times for 256 yards. <br /><br />With his football career over, Morris's drug use became a bigger problem. He not only used cocaine, he also was trafficking it. In 1982, his life hit rock bottom. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with a mandatory 15 year term. But on March 6, 1986, his conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court due to evidence Morris had been unable to prove entrapment based on excluded evidence that was mistakenly characterized as hearsay. He was given a re-trial and reached a plea agreement. Morris was released from prison on 23, 1986. He had been given a new lease on life and he wasn't about to throw it away.<br /><br />Morris always had the gift of gab. He was charasmatic, articulate and very likeable. He would use those skills as a motivational speaker and began preaching to young people about the dangers of drugs. Over the years, he's shared his story with thousands of people.<br /><br />"I'm happy that things turned out the way they did in my life," Morris said. "And I'm thankful, as I look back, for every single circumstance that I've gone through because it's enabled me to learn something about myself and about what teammates are and about who people are."<br /><br />Morris has remained close with his former Dolphin teammates and can be seen at just about every reunion. <br /><br />"Eugene has grown immensley in the years since we've been playing together," said former Dolphin offensive lineman Bob Kuechenberg. "He made some mistakes that a lot of young people make and he got caught and got into a lot of trouble for it and he paid the price for it. I really enjoy my relationship with Eugene Morris nowadays. He's a pleasure to be with---a very bright fellow, very articulate and just a lot of fun."MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-38144294909541357562009-08-29T12:44:00.000-07:002009-08-29T12:55:44.750-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Marino and Kosar 1984<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpmGCZX6N9I/AAAAAAAAAhY/0Sbs_lI2Iwo/s1600-h/SIcoverMarinoKosar.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpmGCZX6N9I/AAAAAAAAAhY/0Sbs_lI2Iwo/s400/SIcoverMarinoKosar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375475005972428754" /></a><br />Miami was the quarterback capital of the world in 1984. The Orange Bowl was the home field for pro and college football's best passers Dan Marino and Bernie Kosar. It was aerial excellence the sport had never seen before. Going into the 1984 season, Sports Illustrated placed Marino and Kosar on the cover its pro and college football preview issue. Both were tall, curley-haired righties from blue collard towns along the Ohio/Pennsylvania border, coming off great debut seasons in 1983 with the Dolphins and Hurricanes. It's been said the Sports Illustrated cover can be a jinx. But both quarterbacks would more than live up to the hype. <br /><br />If you were a fan of the passing game, the Orange Bowl was your one-stop destination every fall weekend. Both quarterbacks were coming off spectacular debut seasons in 1983. Marino was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year and Kosar led the University of Miami to its first national championship as a redshirt freshman. But statistically the 1984 Miami quarterbacks set the standard of excellence at their respective levels. Marino completely re-wrote the NFL's passing records. He finished the season completing 362 or 564 passes for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns. The Dolphins won the AFC title and reached Super Bowl XIX. <br /><br />Kosar's 1984 season was a year of extremes. He would shatter all the UM passing records completed 262 of 416 passes for 3,642 yards and 25 touchdowns. But despite Kosar's amazing numbers, the Canes could not overcome a young defense that struggled under first-year coach Jimmy Johnson that included devastating consecutive losses to Maryland (42-40), Boston College (47-45) and UCLA in the Fiesta Bowl (39-37) to finish the season. Kosar would finish 4th in the Heisman Trophy balloting and was named Academic All American in his final season as a Cane. He would graduate academically and leave school to enter the NFL supplemental draft. <br /><br />Neither the Dolphins nor the Hurricanes won championships in the 1984 season. But it may have been the most entertaining year to watch football at the Orange Bowl. The two quarterbacks would become close friends and rivals when Kosar joined the Cleveland Browns. They later became neighbors in Weston and teammates when Kosar joined the Dolphins in 1994 and backed up Marino for his final three seasons. It's doubtful South Florida football fans will ever see a better pair of quarterbacks come along at the same time again.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-84906218206982697692009-08-28T11:47:00.000-07:002009-08-28T11:54:40.250-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: The City of Miami Welcomes You To the Orange Bowl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpgnKD_BxsI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/pBVXjgoRw54/s1600-h/CityofMiamiWelcomesYouToTheOrangeBowl.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpgnKD_BxsI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/pBVXjgoRw54/s400/CityofMiamiWelcomesYouToTheOrangeBowl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375089209088526018" /></a><br />The great stadiums all have that special trademark feature that distinguishes it from any other facility. It doesn't have to be something flashy or extravagant. Boston's Fenway Park has the famed "Green Monster" left field wall. Chicago's Wrigley Field has the manual operated scoreboard and the ivy-covered brick walls. But when you walked into the Orange Bowl Stadium, you were greeted by the long, narrow sign made of thin sheet metal hanging from the north stands that read, "The City of Miami Welcomes You to the Orange Bowl." Along with the palm trees behind the east end zone, it made the Orange Bowl a unique place like nowhere else. <br /><br />The famous stadium sign didn't always exist. When the Orange Bowl opened in 1937, it was originally known as Roddy Burdine Stadium, named after the famous local merchant. Burdine had died just months before it was built. The stadium capacity was just over 22,000 at the time and was single-decked. By 1948, the stadium was double-decked on both the north and south stands. Even though it was officially named Burdine Stadium, most fans and the media always referred to it as the Orange Bowl. By 1959, the stadium's name was officially changed to the Orange Bowl. But still the sign didn't exist. <br /><br />By the early 1960s, the City of Miami continued to renovate and expand the stadium. A project was launched to double-deck the west end zone. In 1963 the west end zone became connected with the north and south stands. Several changes to the stadium were made, including a new scoreboard and a new entrance sign outside the west end of the stadium which read "Miami Orange Bowl" in large orange letters. But the most noticeable addition was the new sign that separated the upper and lower decks of the north stands, "The City of Miami Welcomes You to the Orange Bowl". It was painted orange with white letters. Over the years, the design and color scheme had changed. By 1983, the sign was remade was painted white with orange letters. In the late 1990s the sign was expanded to include names of former great University of Miami players as part of its Ring of Honor. Names like Vinny Testaverde, Bernie Kosar, Jim Dooley, Ted Henricks, George Mira and Ottis Anderson were among those listed. <br /><br /> I'm not sure where the sign is today. I would like to think someone has it saved and displayed in their backyard. Perhaps its in a museum. It's possible it was destroyed and recycled along with the rest of the rubble of concrete and steel during the spring of 2008. But whererever it is, the sign will go down as one of the great landmarks the City of Miami will ever have.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-48256078951804682762009-08-27T15:48:00.000-07:002009-08-27T17:02:06.454-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Carlos Alvarez<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpcOJMwb02I/AAAAAAAAAhI/znLJ_Sd_sgI/s1600-h/Carlos+Alvarez+Cuban+Comet.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 386px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpcOJMwb02I/AAAAAAAAAhI/znLJ_Sd_sgI/s400/Carlos+Alvarez+Cuban+Comet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374780231495963490" /></a><br />Carlos Alvarez wasn't the first athlete, nicknamed "The Cuban Comet". That distinction belongs to former major league baseball player Minnie Minoso. But to University of Florida fans, he was truly an original. For a short time, he was college football's best and most dynamic receiver. He set records that would last for decades at UF and he did it in an era when few college teams threw the ball frequently. He was the pride of Miami's Cuban community and his homecoming in 1969 against the Hurricanes would turn into one of the great indivdual performances ever by a receiver in the Orange Bowl. The Cuban Comet was launched.<br /><br />Alvarez arrived in Miami when he was ten-years-old and he barely knew a word of english. His family had just fled Cuba following the Castro Revolution. As a young boy new to the United States, he recalled sitting in classroom behind a student named Paul Armstrong. Alvarez copied everything from Armstrong's paper, including his name. Adjusting to life in Miami wasn't easy. But what made the transition smoother was his love for sports. Alvarez was always athletic and was blessed with good foot speed. He was an accomplished basketball player and track athlete. But the sport that he loved most was American football. <br /><br />At North Miami High School, Alvarez became one of the best athletes in Miami-Dade County. He played running back and his blazing speed made him one of the best high school players in the state. During his senior year in 1967, he was named to the Miami Herald's All City Team and became the subject of an intense recruiting war between the Universities of Miami and Florida. He grew up watching the Hurricanes and was a fan of quarterback George Mira. But during the recruiting process, there was one incident that made him a Gator for life.<br /><br />"My dislike for Miami started when they were recruiting me and at the office of their head coach at the time, Charlie Tate," Alvarez said. "There was a stuffed Gator hanging---right in the middle of his office. When it upset me right away, I knew immediately I was Gator bound." Alvarez said.<br /><br />Another factor that helped steer Alvarez to Gainesville was the recruiting efforts of UF assistant coach Lindy Infante, who was a graduate of Miami High and of Cuban descent. "Lindy said to my mother that he was Cuban, then my mom really pushed to go there." <br /><br />The awkward young boy who once struggled with english developed into a stellar student in the classroom. He scored a 491 out of a possible 495 on the state placement test, making him one of the state's brightest student athletes as well one of its best. When he arrived in Gainesville, freshmen were ineligible to play varsity football. Because he didn't have great size, UF coaches decided to move him from running back to receiver to better utilize his speed. In high school, Alvarez caught only one pass in his career. But just as he adapted to American society as a young immigrant, he made the smooth transition to wide receiver. He was a quick study. <br /><br />In 1969, Alvarez exploded onto the college football scene. He was one of a talented group of sophomores who helped energize the University of Florida football program. This group included quarterback John Reaves and running back Tommy Durrance. Together they were known as "The Super Sophs". In his first college game, Alvarez and the Gators crushed the University of Houston 59-34. Alvarez caught a 70-yard touchdown pass from Reaves on the very first pass play of their college careers. Game after game the combination of Reeves to Alvarez was shattering SEC records. By the end of the 1969 season, Alvarez caught 88 passes for 1,329 yards and 12 touchdowns--all SEC records. <br /><br />But the highlight of his great sophomore season came in the Orange Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes. As a high school player, Alvarez had never won a game at the Orange Bowl. His North Miami High teams lost twice there. His freshmen team at UF had also lost to the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl. But on November 29, 1969, Alvarez turned the Orange Bowl into his house. A crowd of 70,934 packed the stadium and many of them were Cubans watching their first American football game waiving Cuban flags. Alvarez turned in amazing record performance. He caught 15 passes for 237 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Gators won 35-16 and finished the season with an 8-1-1 record. <br /><br />"I knew in the beginning when we were warming up that something was going to happen in that game," Alvarez said. "Then the whole evening, we just couldnt miss. Having all your relatives there and a lot of Cubans up in the stands, it was pretty magical."<br /><br />He was named to the Kodak All American Team and was the youngest player and only sophomore selected to the squad. Alvarez seemed to be on his way to breaking every receiving record in college football. But a knee injury he suffered in high school while playing basketball became worse. "There was no injury per se," Alvarez said. "My right knee just started to swell." It was deteremined by doctors that the end of Alvarez's bone was beginning to wear out. He was never quite the same player again. He was limited in practice and his play began to decline. He continued to be a productive receiver, but his numbers would never approach what he accomplished as a sophomore. During his junior year in 1970, he caught 44 passes for 717 yard and 5 touchdowns. He caught 40 passes for 517 yards and 2 touchdowns his senior year. <br /><br />Off the football field, Alvarez was a brilliant student and was a campus activist. It was during the Vietnam War era and America's youth began questioning the social order. He formed a group called the Florida League of Athletes. Many thought it was type of union for players to make demands of coaches and administrators. But according to Alvarez it wasn't. <br /><br />"That was probably the most misunderstood group that ever got together on a college campus," Alvarez said. "All it was ever meant to do was to apprise people that athletes were students too and that we could participate in campus activties whether they were controversial or not. <br /><br />Due to his chronic injuries, Alvarez never made it to the NFL. But he followed in his father's footsteps and became an attorney. He graduated from Duke University Law School in 1975 and currently practices law in Tallahassee.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-29996898236401510622009-08-26T11:15:00.001-07:002009-08-26T11:26:42.399-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Jerome Brown<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpV8zAUR_OI/AAAAAAAAAhA/7ZnBPliR_nE/s1600-h/JeromeBrownEbay.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpV8zAUR_OI/AAAAAAAAAhA/7ZnBPliR_nE/s400/JeromeBrownEbay.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374338946036792546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpV8yrm71_I/AAAAAAAAAg4/dOs7ijQ2hlw/s1600-h/Jerome+Brown.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 322px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpV8yrm71_I/AAAAAAAAAg4/dOs7ijQ2hlw/s400/Jerome+Brown.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374338940477888498" /></a><br /><br />There was nothing small about Jerome Brown. The former University of Miami defensive tackle was not only a physically large man, he lived large. He played big in big games. He spoke loudly and he loved to drive his cars fast. He was the leader of the swaggering Miami Hurricanes of the 1980s. He played and lived with swagger until the day he died. <br /><br />Just about the only thing small about Jerome Brown was his hometown of Brooksville, Florida, located just north of Tampa in Hernando County. He was always the biggest kid in his class. His personality was just as large as his size. He was a class clown, loud and gregarious and always backed up his boastful claims. People were always drawn to him and he never lacked friends. By the time he graduated from Hernando High School, he was a hometown legend. He was a star in football, baseball and basketball. As a senior he was 6-foot-2, 250 pounds and had the speed of players much smaller. He led Hernando High School's baseball team to a state championship as a junior, while leading the team in home runs and stolen bases. He was the leading scorer and rebounder on the basketball team. But on the football field, he was truly a man among boys playing defensive tackle and tight end. He was recognized as one of the finest high school athletes in the nation and was named to the prestigious Parade All American Team in 1982. Colleges from all over the Southeast rushed to Hernando High School to recruit him. In the end, he chose to attend the University of Miami and its emerging football program.<br /><br />It didn't take Brown long to make a strong impression on the Miami coaches. He was one of five true-freshmen to see action on the 1983 national championship team. He was a raw talent who got by on natural athletic ability. But his technique was poor and he was at times undisciplined. Brown's first two years at UM were spent primarily as a backup. But everything came together his junior year in 1985. He went from a raw prospect to quite possibly the most dominant defensive lineman to ever suit up for Hurricanes. <br /><br />By 1985, Brown had grown to 275 pounds and finally became a polished player. He was now able to blend technique along with his natural athletic gifts. He introduced himself to the college football world on October 19, 1985. The Canes traveled to Norman, Oklahoma to take on the Sooners. Miami was a young team and unranked at the time, while Oklahoma was a top national championship contender. In a game that featured two future hall of famers (Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman) and dozens of future NFL players, Jerome Brown was the best athlete on the field. Late in the first quarter with the score tied 7-7, Oklahoma attempted a short field goal to take the lead. Brown charged up the middle, through the Oklahoma line, and blocked the kick. He then pumped his arms and screamed to the crowd it was going to be a long day for the Sooners. Brown almost single-handidly dominated the game. Late in the second quarter, he sacked Oklahoma quarterback Troy Aikman. Two plays later, he stormed by the OU offensive line and combined with UM teammate John McVeigh to sack Aikman again. The tackle was so violent, Aikman would fracture his leg. The injury ended Aikman's career at Oklahoma and lead to his transfer to UCLA where he would later emerge as a top pro prospect. Brown finished the afternoon with 14 tackles from his defensive tackle position, blocked a kick and a recovered a fumble. He did this despite being constantly double-teamed. The Canes won 27-14 and were back as a national championship contender. The Canes finished the year 10-2 and Brown was named All American.<br /><br />When the 1986 season began, Miami emerged as the nation's most dominant team. The Canes also developed a bad boy reputation both on and off the field. UM players were known for talking trash and intimidating opponents. Brown was the team's unquestioned leader. He would sack quarterbacks and throw down ball carriers like sacks of garbage and then stand over them and talk trash. When Oklahoma visited the Orange Bowl play Hurricanes in 1986, Brown set the tone during the coin toss. He stared down the Oklahoma captains at midfield and then yelled "fresh meat!" The second-ranked Canes beat #1 Oklahoma again 28-16 behind 4 touchdown passes by Vinny Testaverde. The Canes cruised through the regular season undefeated and Jerome Brown was the most feared defensive lineman in college football. Despite missing three games due to injury, he was still named to every All American team that existed and was a finalist for the Outland and Lombardi Trophies. The Canes finished the season ranked #1 and were invited to the Fiesta Bowl to play #2 Penn State. <br /><br />When the Canes arrived in Tempe, Arizona, Brown became the focus of attention. It was his idea to dress up the team in military fatigues during the Canes flight to Arizona. Brown was the first player to get off the plane and he made it clear he was ready for war. During a steak fry function hosted by the Fiesta Bowl, Brown was insulted by a racial skit performed by the Penn State players that also lampooned Miami coach Jimmy Johnson. He led a walkout of the Miami players from the restaurant and said, "Did the Japanese go sit down and have dinner with Pearl Harbor befor they bombed them?" But Penn State was ready and upset Miami 14-10. Brown and the Canes defense did their part to win the game. Miami dominated every statistic except the score. Penn State was held to just 162 yards of total offense. But Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw five interceptions and Canes turned the ball over seven times. Brown had a sack and led a stout defense. But his efforts were left wasted in Tempe. <br /><br />Jerome Brown finished his UM career with 183 career tackles, including 21 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, caused 5 fumbles and recovered 4. The Canes played in a New Years Day bowl in all four years he played, including the national championship in his freshman season at the 1984 Orange Bowl. <br /><br />In 1987 he was selected in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles. He quickly prospered playing for head coach Buddy Ryan and teammed up with Reggie White and Clyde Simmons to form one of the best defensive lines in the NFL at the time. He was named twice to the Pro Bowl.<br /><br />Off the football field, he also stood out. He was easily recognized on campus for riding his red motor scooter to class. He once broke up a Ku Klux Klan rally by himself in his hometown. <br /><br />"Jerome had a big 4-wheel drive truck with speakers and loud music," said former Eagle teammate Keith Byars. "And Jerome just came out there and drowned the whole Klan rally they had going. He wasn't going to back down to them and they just dispersed."<br /><br />He once saved a trucker in an overturned cab. "I tried to interview him about the KKK rally,"said Ray Didinger of the Philadelphia Daily News. "I tried to interview him about saving the trucker on the highway. But he really didn't want to deal with it. In his mind, he did what anybody would have done under those circumstances."<br /><br />But in the prime of his career, his life was cut short. On June 25, 1992, Brown and his 12-year-old nephew Gus were killed in an automobile accident in their hometown of Brooksville. Brown lost control of his Corvette at high speed and crashed into a power pole. He was 27-years-old.<br /><br />"He's a person who impacted a team like nobody on any team I've ever played on," said former UM teammate and punter Jeff Feagles. <br /><br />During an interview with NFL Films, former UM quarterback Vinny Testaverde said of Brown, "Whenever you talk about Jerome Brown to anybody, the first thing you do is smile. He really touched so many people in such a short time that he was with us. It really was incredible."MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-54047574071206516922009-08-25T13:22:00.000-07:002009-08-25T13:27:20.577-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Ed Newman<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpRIuX-jCCI/AAAAAAAAAgw/_lmnPHYKkXw/s1600-h/Ed+Newman.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 380px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpRIuX-jCCI/AAAAAAAAAgw/_lmnPHYKkXw/s400/Ed+Newman.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374000216907384866" /></a><br /><br />Longtime sports broadcaster Keith Jackson used to refer to offensive linemen as "the big uglies". The stereotype has always been that offensive linemen were big on brawn but not necessarily big on brains. Former Dolphins guard Ed Newman fit only part of that stereotype. He was arguably the strongest player to ever wear the Miami Dolphins uniform and possibly the smartest. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Newman set the Dolphins bench press record lifting 510 pounds. But even more impressive, was his transition from the football field to his current job as a Miami-Dade County circuit court judge. <br /><br />Ed Newman arrived in Miami in 1973 as a 6th round draft pick out of Duke University. At the time, the Dolphins were the best team in football. Miami was coming off a perfect 17-0 season and boasted pro football's best offensive line that included All-Pro guards Larry Little and Bob Kuechenberg. From the moment he arrived, Newman was considered a longshot. At 6'2 and 245 pounds he wasn't particularly big--even for those times. But what Newman did possess was unbelievable strength, work ethic and intelligence. He made the team, but he was burried deep in the depth chart. He barely saw action in his first four seasons and was relegated to mostly special teams. He didn't become a fulltime starter until his seventh year. But by then, Newman had already planned his life after football.<br /><br />Newman was football's renaissance man. From the moment he was drafted, he never planned on having a long career. He constantly challenged his body and mind. During the offseason he took classes at the University of Miami Law School. He also worked as a volunteer wrestling coach at Florida International University, back when the school had a wrestling program. He was a workout warrior in the weight room. When Bob Kuechenberg set the team record with a 485 pound bench press, Newman equaled Kuenchenberg's lift and then just kept adding weight. It was clear, Newman was not your ordinary offensive lineman.<br /><br />By 1979 Newman was too good to keep on the bench. After six years of paying his dues as a backup, it was his turn to start. Aside from his strength, Newman was also known for his ability as a technician. He was a master at using leverage and beating bigger defensive lineman at the point of attack. By 1981, he was considered one of the NFL's best guards and was selected the first of his four Pro Bowls. In 1982, he helped the Dolphins return to the Super Bowl for the first time in nine years. The Dolphins lost to the Redskins in Super Bowl XVII. The 1983 season started a new era of Dolphin football--the Dan Marino years. Newman had spent his whole career protecting Bob Griese, David Woodley and Don Strock. He would now have to place more emphasis on his pass-blocking as the Dolphins became more throwing oriented. Newman played his final season in 1984, helping the Dolphins win the AFC title. His final game was the loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. It was the last time the Dolphins had reached the Super Bowl. Newman blew out his knee before the 1985 season and retired from football. <br /><br />Ed Newman played all 12 seasons of his NFL career with the Dolphins, which consisted of 167 games. All of his home games were played at the Orange Bowl. As a 6th round pick, he never expected to play this long. When his football career ended, he was ready to embark on his next career in law. Throughout his football career he prepared himself for life after sports. During road trips he would often spend his time reading law books on the plane rather than his playbook. When he retired from football, he had already earned his law degree from the University of Miami. He worked for a private law firm, started his own firm and then was elected as a Dade County circuit court judge in 1995 where he remains today.<br /><br />Recently Newman was interviewed by Dave Hyde of the Sun Sentinel about his transition from football player to judge. He replied, "The feeling I used to get running out in the Orange Bowl between the cheerleaders as the crowd cheered my introduction is the same feeling I get now when the bailiff say 'All rise,' and I walk in the courtroom."MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-63157155322201566972009-08-24T10:22:00.000-07:002009-08-24T10:41:20.290-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: 1981 Clemson Tigers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpLPshzKpyI/AAAAAAAAAgo/OhwBxULCU6Y/s1600-h/Homer+Jordan+82+OB.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 312px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpLPshzKpyI/AAAAAAAAAgo/OhwBxULCU6Y/s400/Homer+Jordan+82+OB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373585669300594466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpLPsPyHChI/AAAAAAAAAgg/HthlCzC_Wp0/s1600-h/Perry+Tuttle+1982+OB.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpLPsPyHChI/AAAAAAAAAgg/HthlCzC_Wp0/s400/Perry+Tuttle+1982+OB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373585664464325138" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">(Top) Clemson quarterback Homer Jordan in action during the 1982 Orange Bowl. (Bottom) Receiver Perry Tuttle celebrates after catching a touchdown pass to give Clemson a 22-15 victory over Nebraska</span><br /><br />The 1981 college football season was one of the craziest and most unpredictable in the history of the sport. It seemed nobody wanted to win the national championship. At several points in the season, six different teams were ranked #1 by the Associated Press. Most of them were beaten just as quickly as they earned the top spot. But when the season was over and the bowl games were finished, the Clemson Tigers stood alone undefeated following a 22-15 victory over Nebraska in the 1982 Orange Bowl and were crowned national champions. <br /><br />When the 1981 season began, Clemson was nowhere on the national championship radar screen. The Tigers were coming off a mediocre 6-5 season in 1980 and were, at best, considered a contender for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. Meanwhile, Michigan began the year as the nation's top ranked team. But the Woverines were quickly upset in week one by Wisconsin. Notre Dame was elevated to #1 and were then beaten by Michigan. Then USC lasted two weeks as #1 until falling to Arizona. Texas then became #1 and was swiflty thrashed by Arkansas. Then Penn State took over and was quickly upset by Miami in the Orange Bowl. Dan Marino and Pittsburgh were then elevated to the top spot and were beaten the next week by Penn State. But while one undefeated team after another kept losing every week, Clemson just kept winning.<br /><br />The Tigers slow rise to #1 quickly gained momentum with an early season 13-3 upset victory over defending national champion Georgia. The Clemson defense contained Georgia's great tailback Herschel Walker and kept him out of the end zone. Week after week, Clemson was getting better. Offensively the team was led by junior quarterback Homer Jordan, who was a duel threat as a runner and passer. It was a run-oriented offense featuring a fine tandem of tailbacks in Cliff Austin and Chuck McSwain. When they needed a big play, Jordan often threw deep to receiver Perry Tuttle, who later became a first round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills. But the true strength of the Clemson team was its defense. The Tigers had three All Americans including safety Terry Kinard, linebacker Jeff Davis and defensive end Jeff Bryant. All three went on to solid pro careers. But the most famous member of the Clemson defense was a large freshman defensive tackle named William Perry. Perry would later gain fame for his nickname "The Refrigerator" and became a football folk hero with the Chicago Bears as a lovable overweight defensive lineman who sometimes scored touchdowns while lining up at fullback . <br /><br />After finishing the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record, Clemson was invited to the Orange Bowl to play Big 8 champion Nebraska. The Huskers were also an interesting story in 1981. Nebraska had rebounded from an 0-2 start and turned its season around behind the play of sophomore quarterback Turner Gill and a great duo of tailbacks Roger Craig and Mike Rozier. But late in the season, Gill suffered a broken leg and was unable to play in the Orange Bowl. He was replaced by Mark Mauer who was the team's starting quarterback in the beginning of the season. Despite Clemson's perfect record, there were still some doubts about coach Danny Ford's team. The ACC was considered more of a basketball conference and some questioned if the Tigers had played a tough enough schedule. But on January 1, 1982 in the Orange Bowl, those doubts were completely erased.<br /><br />Thousands of orange-clad Clemson fans made the trip from South Carolina to Miami for the game. They were joined in the Orange Bowl stadium by an equally fanatical group of Nebraska backers. To mark its first trip to the Orange Bowl in over 30 years, Clemson wore all orange uniforms for the first time. The Tigers took a quick 3-0 lead in the first quarter behind a Donald Igwebuike 41-yard field goal. But Nebraska came back with some trickery when I-back Mike Rozier threw a 25-yard option pass to Anthony Steels for a touchdown to take the lead 7-3. Leading 13-7 in the third quarter, Clemson took control for good when Homer Jordan threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Perry Tuttle, giving the Tigers a commanding 19-7 lead. Clemson held on to win 22-15 bringing home the school's first and only national championship. At 34-years-old, Danny Ford became the youngest coach to lead his team to a national title. <br /> <br />But following the 1981 season, Clemson was penalized by the NCAA for recruiting violations and were placed on probation. Ford would coach eight more seasons at Clemson with solid success. But Clemson has yet contend for another national championship since. The 1981 Clemson Tigers were only the third team in Orange Bowl history to win the national championship with a perfect record. The Tigers may have not been the best team to play in the New Year's Orange Bowl game, but they certainly were the most unexpected champion.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234021289339313822.post-74728858786136591462009-08-23T11:27:00.000-07:002009-08-24T11:30:46.114-07:00Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Poly Turf<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpGLs-AdDPI/AAAAAAAAAgY/3vQc86tZhns/s1600-h/Super+Bowl+X.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpGLs-AdDPI/AAAAAAAAAgY/3vQc86tZhns/s400/Super+Bowl+X.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373229435105119474" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpGLsUgbl6I/AAAAAAAAAgQ/33TWpNuo4Fg/s1600-h/Super+Bowl+V+1971.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpGLsUgbl6I/AAAAAAAAAgQ/33TWpNuo4Fg/s400/Super+Bowl+V+1971.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373229423964952482" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpGLsF5fuRI/AAAAAAAAAgI/DIwURBq8XEk/s1600-h/Postcard_Miami_Orange_Bowl.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YvNBaC9SgCI/SpGLsF5fuRI/AAAAAAAAAgI/DIwURBq8XEk/s400/Postcard_Miami_Orange_Bowl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373229420043548946" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">(Top) The Orange Bowl field during Super Bowl X in 1976. (Middle) Orange Bowl field during Super Bowl V in 1971 and (Bottom)An overhead view of the Orange Bowl during the early 1970s</span><br /><br />Former major league baseball player Dick Allen once said of his disgust with artificial turf, "If a horse won't eat it, I don't want to play on it." Hated by athletes, but used as a then cost-cutting maintainance measure, artificial turf became a staple at outdoor sports stadiums around the nation in the 1970s. The Orange Bowl was among the first in this trend. In 1970, the City of Miami decided to replace the natural grass field of the Orange Bowl with a form of artificial grass known as Poly-Turf. From the 1970 season through Super Bowl X in January of 1976, Poly Turf covered the Orange Bowl field.<br /><br />Poly-Turf was manufactured by the company American Biltrite. It was one of three different types of artificial grass used in stadiums at the time, along with Tartan Turf and Astro Turf. When Poly-Turf was installed at the Orange Bowl, its impact on the game was huge. The playing surface became faster enabling running backs and receivers to make quicker cuts. <br /><br />"When I first got on it, I felt superfast," said former Miami Dolphin running back Jim Kiick. "But then I started thinking, what do the fast guys feel like?" <br /><br />The Miami Dolphins quickly used Poly Turf to its advantage. Players like receiver Paul Warfield and running back Mercury Morris thrived on the surface. Both players were quick on any surface. But on Poly Turf, they were almost impossible for defenses to contain. Another characteristic of Poly-Turf was its ability to absorb heat. At times playing conditions became unbearably hot.<br /><br />"It was difficult. It was hard because the heat reflected off the artificial turf," Kiick said. "There were times when the temperatures were 130 degrees on the field."<br /><br />While the Dolphins were used to playing and practicing in the hot climate of South Florida, visiting teams often wilted on the Poly-Turf. From 1971 through 1974, the Dolphins won 31 consecutive games at the Orange Bowl, including three consecutive AFC titles from 71-73 and back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1972 and 1973. It may not be a coincidence that the glory years of the Dolphin franchise corresponded with the Poly-Turf years.<br /><br />On January 17,1971, the Orange Bowl hosted Super Bowl V between the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Colts. It was the first Super Bowl played on artificial turf. Poly Turf continued to cover the Orange Bowl playing field until the beginning of 1976. Super Bowl X would be the last football game played on the fake grass. <br /><br />As the years went by, it became apparent Poly-Turf was becoming a hinderance rather than an advantage. The hard surface led to an increased number of leg, ankle and knee injuries. The turf began to deteriorate over time and many players claimed they would trip over the seams of the field. The turf began to discolor from green to blue due to the harsh UV intensity of the Miami sun. It had run its course. <br /><br />Natural grass returned the Orange Bowl for the 1976 season and remained there until the end of the stadium in 2008. But while the Dolphins enjoyed unrivaled success on the hard, plastic surface, the legacy of Poly-Turf remains mostly negative. It only proved that sometimes technology can never replace something created by Mother Nature.MiamiSouthPawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12982015859510846100noreply@blogger.com9